


Tropical Banana

by DelicatePoem



Series: Swan Queen Week Winter 2017: Alternate Universes Cubed [7]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Day 7, Embarrassing friend in the form of Kathryn, Emma is a tourist/researcher, F/F, Meet-Cute, Regina is a teacher because I wanted her to be one, Set in Brazil, Swan Queen Week, Swan Queen Week Winter 2017
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-12
Updated: 2017-02-12
Packaged: 2018-09-23 17:31:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,018
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9668756
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DelicatePoem/pseuds/DelicatePoem
Summary: “Hi, can I borrow the menu, please?”That was what made her turn her head to the side, from where she was about to order. Regina wasn’t used to hearing English anymore – not in her forth month of stay in Brazil and not fluently spoken English, at least—she was a teacher for a reason. So to say she was curious was an understatement.Or, the one where Emma can't speak Brazilian Portuguese, Regina comes to her rescue and Kathryn is there too just to... push them in the right direction?Swan Queen Week: Day 7 - Creator's Choice AU





	

**Author's Note:**

> Yay, my last installment for my first SQW! I'm really proud of myself :)  
> My god, I laughed so much while writing this--Kathryn specifically. I hope this isn't confusing to you all, I tried my best with the bold for English. At the end of this work, I'll have a glossary for the text message words that were said in Brazilian Portuguese.
> 
> Yes, there's a big difference between Portuguese and Brazilian Portuguese. Just wanted to point that out, if anyone's curious. I loved writing this, because mixing my own language and customs too was funny.
> 
> Beta-ed by [Sunriseyes](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Sunriseyes/profile). Thank you!
> 
> Happy reading everyone!

“Hi, can I borrow the menu, please?”

That was what made her turn her head to the side, from where she was about to order. Regina wasn’t used to hearing English anymore – not in her fourth month of stay in Brazil and not fluently spoken English, at least—she was a teacher for a reason. So to say she was curious was an understatement.

The clerk the woman beside her was speaking to looked bewildered as well, and it was clear he didn’t have a clue about English. A lot of older Brazilians only knew the important get-around words, unfortunately. Well, it wasn’t as if every American or British people, for example, were taking their time to learn Brazilian Portuguese either. It was a difficult language, after all.

Regina didn’t know what made her do it, but she said to the cashier in front of her, “Um momento, por favor,” and turned to the confused employee on the other side of the counter. “Ela quer um cardápio, moço.” **Just a moment, please. She wants a menu, sir.**

The guy, for some unknown reason, gave the menu to her instead, so Regina did the honors and passed it along to the blonde woman next to her, who seemed more lost than ever. It was there and then she realized the stranger had luscious hair – Regina had to clench her hand to refrain from touching it. _What’s wrong with me?_

“Here you go,” she flashed a small smile, passing over the item to the foreigner (thankfully, the menu had an English translation as well as the Portuguese info).

The woman took the menu and seemed astonished, if her slightly open mouth and the eyebrows that shot up to her hairline served as indication.

Not that Regina was analyzing that very attractive face of hers, because that would be weird…

Wouldn’t it?

“I’m sorry, where are my manners, I’m Regina, Regina Mills,” she extended her hand for the blonde to shake, as she stopped with her line of thinking, not caring at all she might be blocking the line of customers behind her. Also, trying to figure out from where this new-found confidence was coming from, since she usually lacked it.

“Hey, thank you for saving me! I have no idea what I’m doing. My translator couldn’t come today, so I’ve been left to fend for myself and—” the woman must’ve realized she was rambling, for she seemed to remove herself from her stupor when she grabbed Regina’s hand in hers, shaking it gently in greeting, “I’m Emma Swan, pleased to finally meet someone who speaks English today.”

“The pleasure is all mine, Miss Swan,” she purred.

(Let it be mentioned Emma had already tried to order in two different places and she wasn’t about to lose the opportunity that basically landed in her lap).

(Let it also be mentioned Regina was transfixed by the blonde’s presence).

[SQ]

Tropical Banana was indeed one of her favorite places to eat at the shopping mall. After ordering an _açaí_ smoothie, she paid and waited, seemingly forgetting about Emma. It was for the best. Regina always thought it wasn’t worth the effort of struggling through conversations, or so her mother pointed out quite a few times. Especially after realizing she might find someone interesting, because then it was a recipe for disaster.

She’d end up letting her snarky and sassy personality shine through, and Cora Mills had often scolded her for it.

Thankfully, she escaped Cora by traveling to Brazil, though her mother’s influence on her life apparently didn’t abandon her.

With a shake of her head, Regina got her order and went to find a seat at the bustling food court. A table for two was spotted not very far from where she was, and she headed that way.

So focused the brunette was on the deliciousness she was eating, she failed to hear the shuffling of feet until a throat was cleared to call her attention.

“Hey, um…” holding the smoothie of her choosing on one hand, and briefly scratching her head with the other, in front of Regina’s table was none other than Emma Swan. “So, you kinda disappeared before I asked if I could join you after my order, so... Yeah.”

Usually this type of rambling, especially the nervous type, annoyed her endlessly. So much so that she snapped in best case scenarios.

But those people were not Emma.

And Emma, she found, was cute.

“Yes, of course! Please take a seat, and sorry for my disappearance before,” Regina tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, regretting her previous decision now.

Regina still couldn’t fathom how they ended like this: sitting on high chairs at the food court, idly sipping on their cold drinks. Even though there was obviously air conditioning inside, the middle of January’s days were a melting hell. Summer was at its high point in Brazil, and the South could get bad flashes of heat. It didn’t help the fact that it was so damn humid some days!

“I’m curious, are you a tourist as well, or...?” Emma posed it as a question at the end, almost giving in to her weird habit of fiddling with her thumbs when slightly nervous. She took a sip of her smoothie instead.

“Actually, no. I’ve been living here now for about four months. Well, I’ve been to Brazil before, but it’s my first time in Porto Alegre.”

“Wow, that’s awesome. And to speak Portuguese as well? Wow.”

Regina didn’t want to take the compliment too seriously, but come on. It had been a while since she’d been interested in anyone and vice-versa. She proceeded to tell her about Daddy, who’d lived there for a long time and taught her all he could about the culture and the language, “…really difficult, I have to be honest. The rest he didn’t have the time to teach, I learned from classes. It really does come in handy around here.”

Emma chuckled, “Tell me something I don’t know! I almost _starved_ trying to get something around here,” she exaggerated a bit. “Thank you again, by the way.”

Regina made a gesture with her hand as if to say ‘don’t mention it, it’s no big deal’. “It was really nothing, dear.”

 _Dear? I don’t even know if she’s into women or at least interested in pursuing a relationship! I’m flirting now?_ Regina almost hit herself on the head to stop her crazy ideas before she ended up saying something worse out loud and embarrassing herself further.

 _Did she just call me dear?_ Emma wondered.

Regina finished her smoothie so fast to occupy herself that she might’ve gotten a brain freeze. She winced.

Suddenly, her phone beeped from inside her purse. “Sorry, I have to see who’s this,” Regina said, holding up her phone.

“Oh yeah, no problem, go ahead,” Emma nodded, planning on finishing her own smoothie.

 

Regina rolled her eyes when she read the last message Kathryn sent. She was impossible sometimes. Her blonde friend refused to speak only in English, mixing it with Brazilian Portuguese at every opportunity because she _knew_ it got under Regina’s skin. Insufferable.

“What’s got you so annoyed?” Emma smirked.

The brunette lifted her head from her phone, a slight blush coloring her cheeks. “Oh, it’s just my friend, Kathryn, being her wonderful self,” Regina drawled. “You wouldn’t mind if she joins us for a bit, would you?”

“It’s fine, I don’t care,” she shrugged in response.

Regina nodded and got back to her phone.

“She’ll be here any time now,” Regina commented, while locking her screen and looking around, searching for a crazy blonde among the sea of people.

Regina didn’t have a clue what to say anymore. Emma was in a similar predicament. Maybe her friend could help with it.

Thank god for Kathryn sometimes.

Three minutes later, she was already regretting her statement. That was fast.

“Regina! Quanto tempo. Até parece que nem nos vimos anteontem.” **Regina! How long has it been. It almost seems as if we didn’t see each other the day before yesterday.** Kathryn sassed, leaning in to give a kiss to the brunette’s cheek as a hello. “Quem é essa? Meu deus, finalmente arranjou um encontro? E por que que estou descobrindo isso somente agora?” **Who’s this? My god, finally got a date? And why am I finding out about it only now?** she continued, ignoring the fact that Emma was right there and could hear everything (and, in this particular case, not understand a word).

If before her cheeks had been minimally tinged with red, now they were flaming hot. And she could not blame it on the weather. _Damn the air conditioning!_ She glanced at Emma. She seemed blissfully unaware, head tilted a little to the side in confusion, her face splashed with a dash of amusement.

“Kathryn!” she admonished in a hushed tone. “Cala a boca, ou eu juro que—“ **Shut up, or I swear I’ll—**

“Tá, tá, você vai destruir a minha felicidade, e não sei mais o quê—Regina, me apresenta sua _amiga_ então.” **Yeah, yeah, you’ll destroy my happiness, and I don’t remember the rest—Regina, introduce me to your _friend_ then. **She waved Regina away.

Clenching her jaw in irritation, she motioned to the other blonde who was silently watching their obvious bickering. “This is Emma Swan, she’s a tourist I happened to stumbled across today.” Regina started. “Emma, this is the official thorn in my side, also known as Kathryn Nolan,” she flashed a fake smile to the latter.

“Oh, so she doesn’t speak Portuguese, I assume?”

“Yep, assumed right.” Emma answered.

“Nice to meet you. Anything Regina says about me is not to be taken seriously. I’m a lovely person.” Regina scoffed. Kathryn grabbed a chair from a vacant table and pulled it over to theirs, so she could sit down. Next, she settled her purse on her lap and leaned back against her seat.

“Nice to meet you too,” Emma chuckled.

Kathryn looked between the two women. “So, how did you two stumble across each other anyway?”

“I was starving myself to death thanks to my friend, Ruby, who couldn’t come today. I can’t speak any Portuguese. Regina saw me attempt to get a menu in English and put me out of my misery. She saved me, to be honest.” Emma smiled in Regina’s direction.

“Regina, I never pegged you as a knight in shining armor… More like a… demanding princess, but never a knight. Great job, by the way.” Kathryn couldn’t help but tease. The brunette was having quite enough.

“Kathryn, se tu falar mais alguma besteira dessas na frente dela, eu vou—“ **Kathryn, if you say any more bullshit in front of her, I will—**

“Queen.”

Regina was shaken out of her angry tirade by Emma’s interruption. “I’m sorry, what?”

“With all due respect, you could never be called a princess. I’m a princess at best. You’re a Queen, all… regal and mysterious. And yet, so… beautiful.”

Regina’s jaw almost hit the floor.

Kathryn was smirking—her senses never failed her.

And Emma, well, she gazed into Regina’s eyes without looking away.

The brunette blinked. “H-How long are you planning on staying?” Regina tested the waters.

Emma didn’t comment on the obvious change of subject. “I’m working on a project with my friend, my translator, so it might be a while still. I also want to look around, haven’t had the chance yet.”

Perfect. “I can give you a tour one of these days,” Regina suggested. “I’ve been to every cultural venue I could find, found some interesting places already.”

“You know what; I might take you up on that idea. Being cooped up researching in my hotel room all the time isn’t so fun.”

Regina grinned. “OK, just…” she hunched over her bag on her lap, “…where is it? Oh, here,” she passed over her phone to Emma. “Let’s exchange numbers, then?”

“Awesome.”

“You know, Emma; she could teach you Brazilian Portuguese, she’s a language teacher.”

“Kathryn, só… cala a boca agora.” **Kathryn, just… shut up now.**

**Author's Note:**

> I just realized that for you all it's winter and I'm here melting in summer and writing a summer thingy for SQW Winter 2017. What's wrong with me, I should ask? lol
> 
> Anyways, thank you for reading! I'm over at Tumblr by the same name: delicatepoem.
> 
> Glossary:  
> Olá = Hello  
> Obrigada = Thank you  
> De nada = You're welcome  
> Tchau = Bye
> 
> Don't forget to leave a comment below, and if you enjoyed it, kudos make my day! ;)


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